Written by Chelsea Holter
It’s been four months since I last shared my story of cancer; being diagnosed, maintaining a healthy diet and a can do positive attitude to get through a tough time. So four months on…how does that stand today looking back?
My honest answer is that a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude have been a success at getting me through. A healthy balanced diet is key to recovery and yes a positive attitude is key to good mental health when the suffering comes. The harsh reality of chemotherapy is that with destroying the bad cancer cells it also destroys those lovely good ones too unfortunately. But what aids a good recovery? Well a good diet of nutritious seeds, nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables alongside plenty of water. Keeping yourself topped up each day with these things and you really benefit in the recovery of good cells and body function. My blood counts just before treatment where always really good and I truly believe this was through looking after my physical self with the right food intake and thinking positively to lessen stress.
Chemo with its after effects to the digestion, mobility, mind and general normal function means that life isn’t normal anymore, there becomes a new normal where life is a little slower, planning stuff is uncertain, living each day as it came and having to go with the flow of my health. After a few sessions I was getting a pattern of 1 week out of action, still fine to potter at home, but going out, doing work, and for about 3 days even thinking straight was an issue, but with the mindset that this was just 3-6 days of recovery post treatment and then I would be back to working from home and having an appetite, life didn’t need to be a sad story, I could start planning and looking forward to doing stuff again.
Although I haven’t had the energy to dance, or surf, I could however occasionally do an hour of yoga and light stretching at home as a way of keeping my body active with the energy I had. This all added to good mental and physical health. Youtube has loads of sessions to follow, but take it easy and don’t over do it.
Image left; Shaving my hair off after the 2nd treatment. Image right; Wearing my wig, taken at christmas after my 3rd treatment.
The biggest thing all the way along was about not feeling a victim to illness. Yes I have cancer but I don’t need to governed by that, yes I was having treatment which slowed me down and made me really ill at times, but I didn’t need to feel depressed because I was overcoming cancer with every treatment, and each day is a brand new day to enjoy in the best way I can.
Now four months on, five chemo treatments later, I have just had my mammogram and ultrasound and I can say I am clear of cancer. There is no knowing if there could be a lurking cell left in there so I will be going for a mastectomy to get rid of the tissue area where cancer was growing to ensure a larger percentage of not getting this thing again! So a journey still ahead but I feel really great, absolutely amazed by the outcome of the treatment. It has put my faith in the medical profession and has shown me the power of the available drugs to treat cancer. I still hold onto the fact that eating fresh and eating well plays a huge part in healing too, so much we read about cancer fighting foods and this I will continue to lean on through the years to come, to hopefully minimise the chance of having cancer again.
Coming through cancer has been a huge learning curve but I wouldn’t change a thing because it has made me look at life in an even better way, it has strengthened my faith in God and made me a stronger person for it. Having gone through this I know I can help others in their journey with cancer and other life changing conditions, so all in all a big hurrah for coming through well and heres to a great future ahead.
If you are going through a tough time or suffering, remember to keep your chin up, stay positive and live well for the end of the suffering is only around the corner 🙂
Please, if you haven’t yet donated I have a fundraiser page to bring children a wig when loosing their hair through chemotherapy treatment…. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Cut-for-the-Cause
Useful Websites
For more advice and information on breast cancer, go to www.cancerresearchuk.org
Get involved in breast cancer fundraising, go to www.breastcancercare.org.uk
Keep A Breast Foundation is a global youth-focussed non profit cancer organisation which helps to spread awareness amongst young women, go to keep-a-breast.org
Download the Breast Cancer check app here
